Leon was in the middle of a meeting at Kennedy Capital’s headquarters, his mind focused on the numbers and strategies being laid out before him. As always, the office was sleek, modern, a reflection of his own sharpness and ambition. But even amidst the chaos of his day-to-day, there was a quiet buzz in the back of his mind—a sense of anticipation, like something was about to shift.

Then, the door opened.

His gaze lifted, expecting the usual assistant with papers or updates. But instead, it was her. Blaire.

She stood in the doorway, as effortlessly elegant as ever, but something about the sight of her—after all this time—struck him in a way he couldn’t quite place. There she was, not a call, not a message, just Blaire, standing there with that familiar glint in her eyes.

The room seemed to fall away as his attention snapped to her.

“Blaire?” Leon's voice came out a little softer than he intended, surprise flickering in his eyes despite himself. His mind scrambled for something to say, but the words never came. Instead, he stood up, an automatic motion.